Iranian Authorities Announce 29 Arrests in Hijab Protests

Iranian authorities have announced 29 arrests as women protesting the forced wearing of head coverings have continued across the country, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported[1] Friday.

According to the RFE/FL the Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), announced the arrests and charged that the women removing their headcoverings were “tricked” into doing so by propaganda broadcast by Iranians living in foreign countries.

The latest flare-up in the hijab protests comes just days after a 31-year-old woman, later identified[2] as Vida Movahed, was released from jail. Movahed, known as the “Girl of Enghelab Street,” stood on a container, removed her hijab and waved it on a stick at the end of January. She was arrested[3] and her whereabouts were unknown for several days.

The punishment for a woman walking in public without her hair covered could be as long as several weeks.

Protests had broken out in Iran due to economic conditions and official corruption. At least 22 people were killed by authorities and 1,000 more had been reported arrested.